


As We Are

by savetheclaypots



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 05:45:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11269149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savetheclaypots/pseuds/savetheclaypots
Summary: Hylia knew that among her people exchanging rings was a sign of a lifelong commitment. Of sharing life’s joys and sorrows. She knew it was an important rite, one that meant never having to carry a load alone.





	As We Are

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo, this is the entirely unsolicited fic I wrote based (loosely) on [this lovely headcanon](https://notsosilentprincess.tumblr.com/post/160498527181/i-so-love-hylink-too-you-knowi-like-to-think) by meibara34 on tumblr. I do hope I did it justice. 
> 
> The manga is only marginally relevant to this. Also, this fic was meant to be just the final section, but it turned into a pseudo-character study for Hylia. Whoops. 
> 
> For those interested in mood music, here's my suggestion: [Hymn #1 (Eluvium) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXGfYDI2pKE)

During one of the last days of peace before the final battle with the Demon King and his hoard, Hylia and the remainder of her army settled near the banks of Lake Floria. They set up camp with low spirit, but feeling restless. Hylia had walked among mortals long enough to find herself similarly affected, and so she directed her forces to the lake before the met the Demon King at the temple. They were ahead of the hoard, she reasoned. They needed the rest. Exhausted as she was, however, Hylia slept but little that first night. She was easily awoken by the light of the dawn – the kind of light that made everything look soft to her war-worn eyes.

The bedroll pushed against hers was empty, which was reason enough for Hylia to give up on sleep and go find its occupant. It wasn’t long before Hylia found Link at the outskirts of their camp site; watching the sunrise glimmer on the lake’s surface. Hylia had stopped being surprised at Link’s disappearances ever since she had the painful realization that Link took every possible opportunity to be outside after spending years locked away in a dungeon with only a tiny sliver of the sky to look at. Hylia approached him, slowly, and took his hand. Link squeezed her hand slightly in acknowledgement, which was all Hylia needed to know her company was welcome.

“You didn’t sleep well.” She said, in lieu of good morning.

“Neither did you.”

Hylia leaned against Link’s shoulder, turning her head slightly to breathe him in. “I don’t need sleep as much as you do.”

Link huffed. “Debatable.”

She chuckled and looked at the water. Despite the circumstances, Hylia felt deeply content. Peaceful, as she watched the sun bathe the lake in light with Link’s warmth at her side. Hylia recognized respite, although it had been such a stranger to her since the Demon King’s ascension. She sent a silent thank you to her mothers for such a gift and hoped against hope that Link felt as serene as she did in that moment. She was distracted from her short reverie by Link shifting next to her and kissing the top of her head.

“Come with me,” he said, tugging on her hand. “I want to show you something.”

“Why, Link,” Hylia said, her playful tone matching the glint in her eye. “Are you finally whisking me away?”

He laughed. “Something like that.”

Hylia wanted to keep teasing him, but before she could say anything, Link’s laughter turned into a smile. It was one of his rare smiles, honest and fond, and which never failed to make Hylia’s heart skip and warmth to bloom in her chest. But it was also a smile that made Hylia sad, when she stopped to consider it, because she knew that Link would smile like that always if only he had lived a different life. A life defined by its happiness, not its trials. Robbing Link of that life was an old guilt Hylia carried. When she mentioned this feeling to Link, he had asked her to stop thinking that way. It was pointless, he had said. _There’s nothing to forgive_. Hylia wasn’t convinced, and, truly, she was puzzled by Link’s seemingly easy acceptance of his destiny. Despite her doubts, Hylia learned to stop letting her remorse tarnish whatever joy they found together. Today, then, instead of sorrow and guilt, Hylia embraced the affection clear on Link’s face.

She leaned forward to kiss him and murmur softly, trying to preserve the fragile peace of the morning. “Lead the way.”

 

* * *

 

Link took her to the top of Lake Floria’s waterfall. From there, Hylia could see the whole gleaming lake and the expanse of the forest – lush and vibrant. The serenity of the scene was enough to let her forget the war that ravaged most of the land. Yes, the chirping birds, the soft grass and wild flowers, and the soothing sound of the waterfall were a balm to Hylia’s tired heart. They were a welcome reminder that there was still life and beauty worth saving. Life that the Demon King would not touch. Hylia was so lost in the wonder of the place that Link’s voice was almost lost on her. Almost, but not quite.

“You’ve probably seen the view from here before…” He said in that bashful way Hylia found endearing – as she did all the ways in which Link showed himself not to be entirely the unshakable Hero he seemed to be. The Hero who carried the world on his shoulders.

Hylia shook her head and sat down on the grass, by the bank of the stream that fed the waterfall. “I haven’t,” she said. “Not from this perspective.”

Hylia had never been to this spot when she was so attuned to her own humanity; when everything felt crisper and more intense. It was, she thought to herself, a new place altogether.

Link shot her a confused look, as he often did whenever he was uncertain if Hylia’s reactions were due to her divinity. But soon his confusion changed into satisfaction.

“Good.” He said, simply.

Hylia smiled at that and patted the spot next to her. Link promptly took her invitation and moved to lay his head on her lap.

“Lazy.” Hylia said, running her fingers through Link’s hair.

“You’re the one who said I needed more sleep.”

And, to illustrate his point, Link closed his eyes and hummed as he settled. Hylia had indulged before in thoughts of what if the Demon King hadn’t risen, or what if she wasn’t a goddess. Those had been idle thoughts, the thoughts that lulled her to sleep – if she slept at all. Yet, it was at that moment, when Link looked as if no pain had ever touched him, that Hylia that a life without danger lurking in the shadows was exactly this: her and Link basking in the early morning sunlight with not a care in the world. A life where Link was safe. Hylia felt her chest tighten at the thought, for she knew yearning for a dream that would never come to pass was useless. That life was impossible when they had a mission to accomplish and a long, long, destiny to fulfill. Hylia sighed and tried to let her sadness wash over her and then away. She didn’t want to waste away the morning. Not when she was exactly where she wanted to be.

Hylia tugged Link’s hair, lightly, so as to stop him from dozing off completely.

“Forget what I said about you sleeping.”

Link opened his eyes and looked up at her. “Hm?”

“Keep me company, instead.”

So he did.

* * *

 

When Hylia and Link decided to return to the campsite, midday was still far away. Hylia had already started walking in the direction of the path they had come from, but she stopped when Link hurriedly asked her to wait. She watched curiously as Link knelt down to pick one of the wallflowers, though she couldn’t quite see what he was doing with it.

Once he was done, Link walked back towards Hylia and extended his palm. Hylia felt her eyes widen and her breath catch when she noticed that the flower Link had been fiddling with had been bent into the shape of a ring.

“Link…is that…?”

Hylia knew that among her people exchanging rings was a sign of a lifelong commitment. Of sharing life’s joys and sorrows. She knew it was an important rite, one that meant never having to carry a load alone. Part of her was surprised Link would even consider such a thing, when there was nothing she could give him. Nothing, but saddle him with a duty he never asked for. There was no life she could share with him and Hylia felt, now, more than ever, that maybe it was a mistake to love a mortal so terribly much. Or to be loved by a mortal in return.

Link opened his mouth to reply, but couldn’t quite manage the words. He cleared his throat and tried again. His eyes never left Hylia’s and she was shaken by the determination in them. Link’s eyes seemed to tell her all that his words never could. That _this_ wasn’t another reckless, thoughtless act. That against all odds he seemed to think Hylia was worthy of such a commitment. And in his eyes Hylia found the courage to continue with her own foolishness, because Link made her feel alive and if they could be bound to each other in this mortal way only, she would take it. She would take it because there was war in the horizon and Hylia had no heart for regret.

“You probably think I’m being foolish--”

“I don’t – just…wait.”

It was Hylia’s turn to leave Link blinking in confusion, as she picked her own flower. She tried her best to neatly tie the flower’s long stem into a ring as Link had. When Hylia was done, she presented her ring to Link. And smiled.

“I will if you will.”

Link let out a relieved breath and the faintest pink tinged his cheeks. When he nodded his assent, Hylia felt short of breath for love of him. They exchanged rings wordlessly and after they had their flower rings on their fingers, Hylia clasped their hands together. She kept them close with her free hand, as they faced one another.

“We’re creatures of duty, you and me.” She said, as warmth began to emanate from her hands onto their clasped hands. “But I swear, Link, whatever I have that I can call my own, I pledge to you.”

Link’s determined look slowly softened on hearing Hylia’s words.

“Hylia, I promise myself to you,” he smiled. “Not as a champion or hero, just me.”

They gazed at each other as the warmth enveloping their hands receded and disappeared. Hylia removed her free hand, but they kept their hands together still. She looked at their joined hands for a moment, processing what she had just done, and looked up.

“These rings will never wither or break.” Then, with a wistful smile, she added: “They are as we are.”

She expected Link to be taken aback by her admission. Her admission, which went beyond a declaration of love, it was the closest Hylia ever came to voicing fully the extent of her and Link’s destiny. Hylia didn’t know everything herself as her mothers never thought it prudent to fully reveal their plan to her. Nevertheless, over the ages Hylia had come to know that her destiny was long and full of trials. When the need for the Hero arose, she could only imagine that their destiny would be the same as hers. Hylia expected shock from Link, maybe anger. She wanted his anger, even if it was too late. Even if there was no coming back from their destiny, or their bond.

Yet, as always, Link surprised her. He leaned forward slowly to capture her lips in a kiss that was as tender as it was hungry. There was no anger there, no regret or sorrow. There was love, however. And understanding. Hylia let herself be consumed by its intensity. She let the kiss bring her back to this moment and the promise they had just made to each other.

When they parted, Link leaned back slightly, so Hylia could see as well as hear him, solemnly, repeat her words back at her.

“They are as we are…” Link leaned forward again to murmur against Hylia’s lips: “Everlasting”

 

      


End file.
